Overcoming a heart condition, Pakistan opening batter Abid Ali can resume his playing duties after a four-month sabbatical from the game. The right-hander had undergone angioplasty in December.
The 34-year-old was diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome late last year after complaining of chest pain during a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match and went through his operation the day later.
Abid tested his recovery levels through a local T20 tournament in Faisalabad recently after going through an extended conservative cardiac rehabilitation process.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the player “started with walking on treadmills and was gradually allowed to run at a certain pace in the field” before getting back in the nets at the PCB’s High-Performance Centre in Lahore and was given the go-ahead signal by the health authorities to get back playing for his national side.
Speaking of his case, Abid said he initially carried “doubts” whether he would get to play at the competitive level again, but they gradually vanished as his rehabilitation process started bearing fruits.
“I am really excited to be back with the prospect of playing for Pakistan again. Doctors cleared me to go back in the field and I can finally return to live a normal life.
I will be on medicines for some time because of the stents implanted but overall, physically, I am feeling great. I am diving, running, jogging, batting and it’s really great to be normal again.”
ESPNcricinfo quoted the player as saying.
Before going down with the heart condition, Abid had solidified his position at the top of the order for Pakistan, averaging an impressive 49.16 over 16 Tests with 1,180 runs, including four hundreds and three fifties.
Abid’s absence forced Pakistan to rejig their opening combination, especially as the then out-of-form Shan Masood fell down in the reckoning ahead of the historic home series versus Australia. The opening combination of Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafiq did consistently well across three Tests.
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Pakistan’s next Test assignment is in Sri Lanka in July. With an off season going on, chances for Abid to immediately prove his form and fitness for that tour are non-existent. But the player is upbeat about things and is hoping to further work on his fitness while waiting for his opportunities with the next domestic season beginning in September.
